Being a New Orleans native and living here my entire life, I am so fortunate to have just about all of my family close especially during the holiday season. I do not have to brave the airports or long car rides to gather with family and friends, in fact, we host Christmas Dinner right in my own home. That being said, with all of the pretty holiday decor, great food, sentimental music and general merriment, I can see how easy it is to let you guard down during this time of year.
While sipping eggnog and signing “Silent Night”, the last thing I am thinking of is identity theft. I don’t know about you, but I have a hard enough time paying for the Christmas gifts I do buy and do not want to fund the holidays for a thief who is after my bank account. As a LifeLock Ambassador, I am so happy to have this service in my corner and have the security of knowing this membership service is working hard to protect my identity before the unthinkable become reality. Last month, I shared all that LifeLock has to offer, but in a month where so many people are traveling and easily forget about protecting critical information, I thought I would share with you tips for Safe Holiday Travel from LifeLock.
- Taking a picture of your travel documents can help you recover them if they should become lost or stolen.
- Thieves can add small devices to an ATM that are almost unnoticeable. These ATM skimmers can copy your card information almost seamlessly. Use caution and monitor your online banking statements when traveling.
- Children should know all pertinent contact information in case they get separated. Teach them your cell phone number and home address before leaving.
- Place an ID tag on the outside and inside of your luggage. Use your office address to help keep your home more secure.
- If traveling in snowy conditions, it is a good idea to pack an emergency snow kit, which should include a snow scraper and brush, a flashlight, blankets, booster cables, a shovel, cat litter or sand (to place under your tires for grip), flares, emergency triangles, and a first aid kit.
- Especially if traveling abroad, health insurance policies can vary on medical expenses as well as emergency evacuation coverage. Review your policies before departure.
- Plan to arrive at the airport or station at least two hours early. The holiday season means everyone is traveling, which means traffic jams and long lines.
- Do not carry wrapped gifts in carry-on luggage, as gifts may need to be inspected at security check points and in some instances they will be unwrapped. Either check gifts or leave them unwrapped and accessible.
Just by playing the LifeLock for Life Sweepstakes on Facebook, I got these invaluable tips and even entered to win some great prizes including year long LifeLock Memberships and a $4,500 travel voucher! Don’t miss any travel tips this month by following LifeLock on Twitter, too!
Happy Holidays!
Great tips. I had not thought of leaving gifts unwrapped for security!